March 27, 2022 The Fourth Sunday in Lent
Lent is the season when the Church prepares for Easter. During Lent the Church invites her members to participate in prayer, penance and active works of mercy. Throughout Lent our service begins with a Penitential Rite. On the First Sunday in Lent the Great Litany is offered as the Penitential Rite. On the other Sundays in Lent the Penitential Rite is the Confession and Decalogue. Jesus Christ spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation by Satan. Lent may have originated as a mirroring of this, fasting 40 days as preparation for Easter. Every Sunday (including each Sunday in Lent) is observed as a Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, commemorating his resurrection, and thus every Sunday is considered a feast day on which fasting is inappropriate. Christians are called by the Church to observe the ordinary weekdays of Lent by special acts of discipline and self-denial in commemoration of the crucifixion of the Lord. In addition, the ordinary Fridays of Lent are traditionally days of abstinence from flesh meats. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are traditionally days of strict fasting and abstinence.
Our Celebrant and Preacher this Sunday is the Reverend William Doubleday.
Today’s In Person Worship
- Every Sunday at 8am the Eucharist (Rite 1) is celebrated in the Church. The service is from the red Book of Common Prayer, beginning on page 323, and includes 2 pre-recorded hymns, and lasts about 45 minutes. Coffee Hour follows.
- Every Sunday at 10am the Eucharist (Rite 2) is celebrated in the Church. The service is from the red Book of Common Prayer, beginning on page 355. See below for detailed music information. The service lasts about an hour. Coffee hour follows.
- Healing Prayers are offered at the Bolton Altar following both services.
- Please review these Guidelines before attending worship at Christ Church. (Updated 2/26/2022)
Today’s Live-Stream Worship & Sermon Archives
- You can view the live-stream of Sunday morning services HERE
- Sermon archives are HERE
- Our Sermon and other archives are here: https://www.youtube.com/c/christchurchpelham
Sunday Offerings & Financial Donations to Christ Church
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Today’s Propers (Collect & Lections from Holy Scripture)
The Collect
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Old Testament
Joshua 5:9-12
The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.” And so that place is called Gilgal to this day. While the Israelites were camped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.
The Psalm
Psalm 32 Beati quorum
1 Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, *
and whose sin is put away!
2 Happy are they to whom the LORD imputes no guilt, *
and in whose spirit there is no guile!
3 While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, *
because of my groaning all day long.
4 For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; *
my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, *
and did not conceal my guilt.
6 I said,” I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” *
Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.
7 Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in time of trouble; *
when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.
8 You are my hiding-place;
you preserve me from trouble; *
you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
9 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go; *
I will guide you with my eye.
10 Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; *
who must be fitted with bit and bridle,
or else they will not stay near you.”
11 Great are the tribulations of the wicked; *
but mercy embraces those who trust in the LORD.
12 Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the LORD; *
shout for joy, all who are true of heart.
2 Corinthians 5:16-21
From now on, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The Gospel
Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” So Jesus told them this parable: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”‘ So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe–the best one–and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate. “Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’ Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’ Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'”
Parish Prayer List
Please note that names are listed alphabetically by last name of the person being prayed for (if it is known). We do not list last names for privacy reasons. For pastoral emergencies call or text one of the clergy: While Father Matt is in the Holy Land, please call Deacon Chisara Alimole (914.338.5194), or call the parish office (914.738.5515). If you have any updates (birthdays, prayers additions, etc., please let us know.) Please submit names you wish to be included by Tuesday morning, to Marie at: marie@christchurchpelham.org.
Our prayers are asked especially for: Marion, Mark, Marcia, Elizabeth, Zachary, Anne, Rosemarie, Ginny, Ralph, Ethan, Barbara, Russell, Fran, Mary, Ralph, Ursla, Marcia, Scot, Sammy, Ted, James, Monica (in hospital), Rebecca, Janet, Jackie, Amina, Celine, Brayden, Alexia Grace, Alison, Nicole, Emma, Pelin, Hildy, Martin, Nate, Yen, Erica, Rosalina, Walter, Susan, Ariana, Danielle, The Salvatore family, Dean, Sue, Xandra, Sigi, Joyce, Julie, Scott, Robert, Sherry, Michelle, Rob, Drue, David, Rob, Chuck, Bill, Sue, Lael, M&D, Sandy, Morris, and Katie.
We give thanks for those celebrating birthdays this week and in the coming week Rob Weeks (March 24), Chisara Alimole (March 25), Addie Nakatani (March 29), and Eileen Johnson (March 31).
We pray for those in our Armed Services especially: Joseph, Kevin, Jack, Leopold, Philip, Jake, Matthew, Robert, Philip-Jason, Nicholas, Sam, Helen, Mitchel, Alec, Jonah, Tia, Tyrese, and Terrence.
We pray that all elected and appointed officials may be led to wise decisions and right actions for the welfare and peace of the world, especially Joseph our President, and Kathy our Governor.
We pray for those who have died, especially Rufus Scroggins on the 2nd Anniversary of his death (April 2). And we pray for those who have died from COVID-19.
Rest eternal grant to them, O Lord
And let light perpetual shine upon them.
May their souls and the souls of the departed, through the mercy of God,
rest in peace. Amen
Today’s Music
Opening hymn: 686, Come, thou fount of every blessing, Nettleton
Trisagion: S-101, John Rutter (b. 1945)
Psalm 32; Beati quorum; Gregorian chant, Mode 8
Sequence hymn: 665, All my hope on God is founded, Michael
Anthem at the Offertory: 3. Love bade me welcome from Five Mystical Songs, Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)
Love bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey’d Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,
If I lack’d anything.
A guest, I answer’d, worthy to be here:
Love said, You shall be he.
I the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,
I cannot look on thee.
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
Who made the eyes but I?
Truth, Lord, but I have marr’d them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.
And know you not, says Love, who bore the blame?
My dear, then I will serve.
You must sit down, says Love, and taste my meat:
So I did sit and eat.
– George Herbert (1593-1633)
Offertory Hymn: 339, Deck thyself, my soul, with gladness, Schmücke dich
Sanctus et Benedictus: S-131 Gerald Near (b. 1942)
Agnus Dei: S-166 Gerald Near
Anthem during Communion: O taste and see, Ralph Vaughan Williams
O taste and see how gracious the Lord is: blest is the man that trusteth in him.
– Psalm 34: 8
Anthem during Communion: Our Father, whose creative will asked being for us all, Vincent Persichetti (1915-1987)
Asked Being for us all,
Confirm it that Thy Primal Love
May weave in us the freedom of
The actually deficient on
The justly actual.
Though written by Thy children with
A smudged and crooked line,
The Word is ever legible,
Thy Meaning unequivocal,
And for Thy Goodness even sin
Is valid as a sign.
Inflict Thy promises with each
Occassion of distress,
That from our incoherence we
May learn to put out trust in Thee,
And brutal fact persuade us to
Adventure, Art, and Peace.
– W. H. Auden (1907-1973)
Hymn: 401, The God of Abraham praise, Leoni
This morning’s quartet is Jeanmarie Lally, Jann Degnan, José Ruíz, and Simon Cram
Choir members: Curtis Chase, Linda Gerra, Cherrie Greenhalgh, and John Hastings
Jeffrey Hoffman, organist & director of music
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